'I Knew It': Jaylen Brown Discusses Celtics Drawing Heat in Round 1

Bobby Krivitsky | Apr 20, 2024

Feb 11, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) drives to the basket against Miami Heat forward Duncan Robinson. / Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Celtics and Miami Heat have squared off six times in the playoffs since 2010. It's the most common postseason matchup in that span. 

Thanks to the latter dispatching the Chicago Bulls with a 112-91 win in Friday's play-in tournament tilt, Boston and Miami will face each other for the fourth time in the last five years.

"I knew it was gonna be Miami," voiced Jaylen Brown after Saturday's practice on the eve of Game 1 at TD Garden. "I knew it from a few weeks back. But just coming from last year to this year, it just makes sense. So, we're looking forward to it. It should be a great challenge. Miami is a tough team, well-coached, play hard, they're physical; all the stuff that we need to emphasize. So, it should be fun."

Last season, the third time the Celtics and Heat clashed in the Eastern Conference Finals in four years, the former fell into a 3-0 hole before nearly becoming the first team to erase such a deficit.

But after rallying to force a Game 7 on their home floor, Jayson Tatum injured his ankle on the first play, compromising his ability to propel Boston back to the NBA Finals. Brown's career-high eight turnovers didn't help either.

But the latter hasn't shied from sharing that what happened that day served as fuel for a summer where he laid the groundwork for what's been the best campaign of his career, making significant strides as a facilitator and a defender.

But when asked about bottling up what happened in last year's Eastern Conference Finals and applying it to this best-of-seven, the 2022 All-NBA Second Team selection emphasized the importance of not allowing the emotions that series evokes to get the best of him this go-around.

"You don't forget, but you do your best to live in the moment," said Brown. "You learn from those experiences, and you can't bring those thoughts into it. You got a new team, you got new players, I'm a new player. So, just, you come and you stay in the moment, and you take it one day at a time."

Further Reading

Brad Stevens Addresses Potential Extension with Derrick White

Brad Stevens Notes Crucial Element of Celtics' Title Pursuit: 'Bigger Than Themselves'

After Career Night, Reflective Payton Pritchard Discusses NBA Journey and His Ultimate Pursuit

'Nip That in the Bud': Celtics Address End-of-Season Struggles

Jrue Holiday on Celtics Extension: 'Try to Get More Banners, Get More Rings'

Jaylen Brown Shares What Latest Milestone Means to Him

Celtics Embracing Challenge to Go Beyond Most Talented

Jayson Tatum Opens Up About Sacrificing in Celtics' Title Pursuit: 'It's a Process'